Sorry
by tw.tvd.pll
Summary: When Aria finds out about the secret that Ezra has been keeping from everyone, she is angry and in a lot of pain. But the mistake she makes will haunt her for the rest of her life. And will the secrets of her past become the path that her future must take? More masks and more tears. Will the liars find that they ae living high school all over again?
1. prolog

**Hi this story is baded around the end of season four we have also almost finished writing the first proper chapter, i know this is short and almost exactly this smae to the real thing, but that will soon change in th next chapter, oh and just a warning it doesnt end happlily, bur there will be lots of sweet happy buts along the way, at the moment we will try to update twice a week byt maybe more frequently as we are just starting.**

 **Disclaimer: i do not own the charaters, becuase if i did ezria would have been married long ago.**

 _Prolog_

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!" Aria screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME! ALL THE PAIN! ALL THE THE THE! ALL THE GRIEF THAT YOU CAUSED ME! THAT YOU CAUSED MY FAMILY!"

"Please let me explain Aria. I lo…."

"Don't. Don't you dare say that you love me. Don't you dare say that you ever loved me."

"Aria but I do. I never meant to but I do."

"Do you know what it feels like to be used? To just be a playing card amongst a whole deck of others? By someone who you trusted. By someone who you gave everything up for. For someone who you loved" A hot tear ran down her flushed red cheek. Followed by another. Then another.

"Give them to me." Aria cried looking through teary eyes at the pages that had ruined her life.

"Fine. Burn them. That's where they belong." Ezra said handing the pages over.

"BURN THEM!" Aria screamed.

"BURN THEM! I WANT TO READ THIS THING COVER TO COVER TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WAS WORTH RUINING EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD FOR!"

"I swear I stopped the book the moment that I fell for you." Ezra could feel a lump rising up his own throat but he wouldn't let himself cry. He couldn't. That second the giant metal swing that they were both trapped on stopped. Hundreds of feet above the ground.

"Great. Just great." Aria huffed out under her breathe. A gust of wind harshly knocked the kart forward, forcing Aria to drop the pages. They both stared as the story fluttered to the ground like a million autumn leaves.

 **oh and please do reveiw, becuase otherwise i will have no idea if people are enjoyng it, or even reading it. and i have no other encouragement,**


	2. chapter 1

s

 **Hi guys! Thankyou for reading and I would just like to say that this is a joint acc and this is my first story so please comment as I would love to hear from you.**

Aria's P.O.V

It had been days since I had seen . He was no longer Ezra to me. That name held too many memories. He was just . My English teacher. I hadn't really done much since the night of the swing. I'd just layed in bed crying. Everyone knew not to ask me what was wrong as deep down I think they all knew. I couldn't bring myself around to going to school incase I bumped into HIM. I hadn't showered in about a week and there was no way that I was looking in a mirror anytime soon. I already had enough bad look.

I knew I had to face him. That there was unfinished business that I needed to get my head around. I'd considered moving. Well, running away. I'd only just turned 17. That meant another year of roaming the halls where he worked. There was no way that I could survive walking down these streets. The one's where I'd had my first kiss. Our first date. Everything reminded me of him. That filled me with too much anger. Hatred. Agony. Loss.

The idea came to me in a dream. I don't know how long I'd been asleep but it was light out when I had closed my eyes. I knew what I had to tell him. What I had to do. The question is…. Would he actually do it?

EZRA'S P.O.V

I knew that I should've told her. The second that I stopped. I SHOULD HAVE BURNT THE DAMN THING! It was killing me to not be able to talk to her. To even SEE her. Why do I always have to mess everything up? I have to talk to her. I know what I have to do. I have to see her. People were getting suspicious. Worried. I was getting worried.

The school halls seemed duller than usual. The pupils faces all just one big blur as I looked for her. My class had become my home. I had thousand of papers to mark.

"Mr Fitz. Um do you have a second?" It was Emily. I was wondering how long it was going to take before one of them came to ask me about her.

"Yeah. Sure."

"Do you know if Aria is alright? none of us can get through to her. And we're all worried." I could tell that she already knew the answer. So I just sat there.

"Please. I don't know what has happened and i don't care.I just want to know that she is alright."

"I think you should leave Emily. Class is starting soon."

"Fine."

Aria's P.O.V

As i looked in the mirror I could already feel the guilt rising up inside of me. He had just as much to loose as I had if I did what I am about to force him to. At least my dad was out. I couldn't face all of the questions that he would ask. Not know anyway."

"So you are still alive. I was starting to think that your bed had eaten you alive." Mike jumped out of his room. I could tell that he was itching to ask more but he knew that he shouldn't.

"look I have to go do something so if anyone asks please can you tell them that I'm at Spenc's." He nodded. "Thankyou. I'll see you soon."

I hadn't realised how close to winter it had got. The frosty air clung to my eyelashes and ears. His apartment looked empty. I hopped that he was in as there was no way that I was coming back. Ever. I had to tell him. It would be better for both of us. He had to leave. But would he?

 **please**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **Sorry that this chapter is shorter than the other one but I wanted to leave it on a cliffhanger. Thankyou for reading!**

Ezra's P.O.V

I couldn't even imagine the look on my face when I sore Aria outside my door. She was the last person that I expected to see there. I certainly didn't want to see my face when she sat down on my couch and told me to leave.

"Ezra. Please say something. I didn't know what else to do! I'm sorry okay! But i can't live like this." I didn't know what to say say. I must have looked like such an idiot.

"I don't expect to see your face around here anymore Ezra." If only she knew that her dad had said those words to me before. She got up and started to head out the door.

"I love you Aria. And if this is what you want me to do then fine. I'll leave. But please don't lose my number. Don't make me leave with you hating me." I couldn't see clearly as tears formed in my eyes.

"i've never hated you Ezra." And with that she left. Walking straight out of my life.

Aria's P.O.V

I don't think that I had ever felt as bad as I did when i sore the shock, the pain and the horror written clearly across Ezra's face when I told him. I can't even start to imagine what was running through his mind. I felt worse then when we'd all got that same text from A at the funeral. I felt worse then when I sore Garrett's body in that box. Worse than when Alison's body was found dead. I needed to make my mind fly someplace else. Somewhere where when I looked in the mirror the old brave confident me looked back. Not the hurt, selfish, scared one. The girls must be worried about me. That hurt. Knowing how much pain and worry I must have put the girls through. At least when Hannah found out about Caleb helping Jenna she let us in. The book was about them too though. So it was kind of their business. I got out my phone and started to text Spencer. Before I had the chance to hit send, I sore his car. It was only a glimpse but I knew it was him. I hadn't expected him to go so quickly. Seeing him drive straight past me, drive straight out of my life, brought on a whole new round of pain. So I ran straight home and started to cry.

Ezra's P.O.V

There was no point of me staying in this town any longer. There was nothing left for me here. My one chance of happiness just threw me to the ground like nothing more than an empty gum wrapper. I couldn't help but to wish that this was all a dream. That I would open my eyes and be in her arms watching one of those black and white movies that we both loved. I knew that I shouldn't be thinking like this so I turned up the radio to distract me. It didn't help. The song that was blaring out of the player was the same B52's song that was playing in the pub when we first met. A lone tear slipped down my cheek. How could I have messed up like this? From being the guy who had everything to the guy who had a run down car and two suitcases full of dirty washing. I don't think I even noticed the light coming closer and closer to the front of my car. Until it was all I could see.

 **xxx**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **Aria's P.O.V**

The first thing that I did when I got home was shut my bedroom blinds. I didn't want to see the road that he just disappeared down. I jumped into bed and pulled the covers over my head and surprisingly got to sleep very quickly. I dreamed that he came driving back and that I never found the story. That he never wrote it. It was probably the nicest dream that I have had since I started getting texts from A. It didn't last as long as I wanted it to. I hadn't realized how much that I had been crying until I felt how wet the collar of my dress was. I looked down at my phone and realised that I had 10 missed calls from Spencer, 7 from Emily and 4 from Hannah. That second Spencer called me back again.

"What?" I answered. A little harsher than what I had intended.

"You havn't heard have you? Oh my god I am so sorry Aria." I could tell that she had been crying.

"What? I haven't heard what? Spenc is everything okay?"

"Turn on your T.V" I hurried out of my bed and down stairs to the lounge. My brother and dad were already down there with the news reporting some kind of crash.A car crash I think. "This crash has been reported as one of the worst crashes that has happened on the streets of Rosewood in the past witnesses say that it came out of the blue and that there was no signs of careless driving. Ezra Fitz is the only person who has been identified and is suffering from fatal injuries. More on this report later. Over to Keith White for the weather"

"NO. NO NO NO NO NO NO."

"Aria I am so sorry." That was the last thing that I heared before the only thing that anyone could hear was my sobs. I broke down and it was all my fault. if I hadn't been so stubborn then he never would have left. He. He never would have nearly died. DIED for all I know.

 **Byron's P.O.V**

I've never seen Aria break down before like she did when she sore the news. I didn't even know that she still had feelings for him. She just lied there. Balling her eyes out. I didn't know what to do. The only thing that I could think of was to take her to the hospital. Would that make her feel any better? What if she sore him like, like the way that he looked when he was pulled out of his car? If only Ella was still here. She would know what to do.

" _Come on Ella. Hurry up!" Byron whispered down Ella's ear._

" _You guys promise that you won't leave the house unless it's an emergency. Oh and look after your brother Aria." Ella worried. Not wanting to leave until she was 100% certain that nothing bad would happen to her children._

" _I promise mum. See you in 2 days. BYE DAD!" Byron waved back at her from the driver's seat._

" _Have fun." Shouted Mike._

" _Promise you'll ring every night?"_

" _We promise mum. Now go before dad leaves without you." Ella walked off to the car looking back over her shoulder with every step. She waited at the car door gazing at Aria then at Mike. Then Aria then Mike. BEEP! BEEP! Byron honked the horn. Clearly getting impatient and with that Ella hopped into the car and started to drive away. The car came out of nowhere. It left Byron deaf in one ear and Aria and Mike without a mum._

A tear ran down my cheek as I thought about what had happened. If I was given the chance to see Ella in the hospital, then I would have taken it. I wasn't going to be the person who took that away from Aria. From my daughter. From Ella's daughter. From our daughter.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

Every hour or so the news was updating the story of the crash. It was almost as big as when Ali went missing. Almost. Ezra was still breathing, just, but he was still unconscious. There still weren't many leads on who was driving the other car apart from the fact that it was stolen. It was a classic A move. Using our own actions to tear us apart. We got teared down at the hospital. Not even immediate family were allowed to see him. I noticed that his brother Wes was there. So was his mum and someone who I didn't recognise. His mum was the only person who wasn't in tears. Even the strange man had looked like he had been crying for ages. Don't even get me started on Wes. I was just glad that I didn't see Maggie's face there.

I decided to go back to school. It had been a week since the crash and more or less everyone who knew about me and Ezra had already given me the sympathy card. It would have been what Ezra wanted. For me to carry to getting a good education. I hated myself for thinking like that. It made it sound like he was dead. He wasn't allowed to die. I wouldn't let him. There was no way that i was losing two people that I loved in a car crash. Especially when the reason that they were both in the car was my idea. He was allowed visitors now. Well, family. He had opened his eyes only twice now but no more than an hour each time. The reporters said that that was good news. A sign that he was getting better.

The journey to school seemed to take twice as long as usual. I avoided all of the roads that we'd travelled down and most of the main roads to. The sky seemed greyer and the clouds heavier. They looked like how I felt.

 **Hannah's P.O.V**

"I can't believe how much pain Aria must be going through." Emily said looking down at her phone.

"I wonder what her excuse is. I mean, she can't exactly call in saying 'Sorry I'm not coming to school as my teacher/boyfriend is in hospital. It's very traumatic.'" I said. It was answered with 2 death stares that seemed as if they could see straight into my soul.

"HANNAH! How could you say something like that? You know what happened to her mum less than a year ago and now this?" Spencer was trying so hard to be angry without looking angry that she ended up looking like a constipated potato.

"I'm just saying. I wonder if they're going to make her catch up on unfinished school work."

"Hannah." Hissed Emily and Spencer in unision.

"Guys." Spencer said nodding her head forward.

"Oh my god Aria. We have missed you so much. I didn't expect you to be out and about so soon." Emily said moving over to give Aria space to sit.

"Neither did I." Aria admitted. Giving a little half smile.

"So do you want to explain why you've been giving us the hard shoulder or are you going to keep this in the blue to?" I said smirking.

"Hannah! What is your problem today?" Spencer said looking plain angry now.

"Did someone wake up with a stick up their but or something?" Emily said whilst laughing. That made Aria smile.

"I um don't want to talk about that here. Come round to my house after school. K?"

"Sure."

"I need to go see the principle so I'll meet you guys after school."

"Okay. Cya soon." I smiled.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

I didn't really need to go and see the principle. I needed to check if there was anymore updates on Ezra. So I went into the girl's bathroom and locked the door. My phone was flashing which meant that there was something. I just hoped that it was something good. The caption under the picture of Ezra with wires and tubes coming out of everywhere read:

'Ezra Fitz has just been announced stable and all test results have now come back negative for any sort of long term illness. He is now allowed visitors but is still needing lots of medication and help.' BLEEP! A text message flashed up onto my phone.

'Let's see who gets there first. 3, 2, 1. GO! Kisses A'


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Ezra's P.O.V**

I didn't know how long I was out cold. The only thing that I could think about was guilty Aria must feel. God.. If only she was here. That's when I noticed that I couldn't see anything. I started to worry. To panic. I could hear different machines start to beep louder and faster.

"Shushhh. It okay darling. You're safe." It was my mother. My eyes flung open and the machines automatically started to die down. All I could think of was 'Urggh. What is she doing her?' and 'Why wasn't Aria here?' I needed to see her. I'm sure that she needed to see me. I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

The hospital was a good 10 minute walk away from school. So when I arrived there only 5 minutes after I'd set off, I was amazed. I don't know what I was feeling when I stepped through the hospital doors. The majority of my stomach was filled with dread and guilt. But I couldn't help but smile. I was happy. He was alive. I was happy for the first time since I had found that story. I was happy.

The long que of reporters with notepads and news reporters with cameras stopped me in my tracks. I guess I wasn't the only person who had checked today's headlines. How was I supposed to get through? It's not like I could just walk up to the front gate and say that I am Ezra Fitz's girlfriend. Especially when I noticed Mr. Hackett. The vice principal of Rosewood High. Anyway, A could be watching. A could be anywhere. Here. Waiting at school. With…. I couldn't bring myself to think of the other possible place that A could be, because if he was already there, then I was already too late.

"Aria! Over here!" It was Wes.

"SHUSSHHHH!" I jesstered. Thankfully Mr. Hackett didn't hear him. I practically had to dance to get over to where Wes was standing. I was getting a ton of evil death stares from people. Maybe now they'll know what it feels like to be pushed in front of by a complete stranger. I hate reporters. They always want to know the personal stuff.

"I'm so glad that you came." Wes said giving me a boyish embrace. He smelt of pine cones. And nuts.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He's good. The doctors say that it has been a remarkable recovery. He asked for you. Twice. I think that he has been waiting for you. Mum's in there right now though." I think he could tell how annoyed that made me.

"She'll be out soon. I promise. Even if I have to drag her out by her hair."  
"For someone that doesn't care, she sure cares a lot." It was starting to get on my nerves now. How she was only around when the cameras where.

"I think she cares more than she is willing to let on." Yeah. When the cameras are around. That second she came out of the room and walked straight past me. Not even acknowledging that I was here.

"I think that that's your cue to get in there." Wes nudged me on my shoulder.

"With all of these reporters watching? No chance. I'll wait."

"Whatever. Cya A."

"What?"

"A. That's your nickname right? Well at least that's what the text on your phone says." With that he walked off. Chasing after his mother. I hadn't even realised that I had a text. Let alone from A. 'He's all yours. There's only so much that someone can do before they get bored. A'

 **Ezra's P.O.V**

I was so shocked when the first non family visitor came in. It was some sort of reporter with two blonde pigtails on either side of her haid. She was wearing a long sleeve wooly cat jumper with a matching skirt. I don't know why, but she reminded me of Spencer. She had a load of questions but compared to the next reporter that came in, she had about as many as an infant.

People had been asking me questions for 2 and a half hours and there was still no sign of Aria. Maybe she felt to guilty. Like I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for her. Maybe she just didn't want to talk to me. That's when I noticed the black figure staring in through my window. I blinked, trying to get my eyes to focus. A hadn't come to finish off what he started had he? Maybe I was never meant to survive the crash. The figure was gone. Leaving nothing but an empty corridor. And no Aria. That second a knock echoed off of my hospital room doors. The door slowly crept open revealing a face that I was not yet ready to see.

 **Sorry that I'm leaving the chapter on such a cliffhanger but I promise that I will make it up to you in the next chapter. I hope that your loving my story.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **Ezra's P.O.V**

"Hello Ezra." Her black hair bounced off of her shoulders looking longer and scruffier than I remembered.

"Remember me?" How could I forget her. She had almost ruined things once before and I was not going to let her do that again.

"What do you want?" I said sitting up.

"What are you doing here? Jackie."

"You know Ezra, I was looking forward to being in this together. It's a shame that she got in the way. Where is she by the way?"

"What are you talkin about? To be in what tog,,,,,, what have you done to her?"

"Oh sweety. It shouldn't be her that you're worried about. I'm sorry Ezra. We just can't afford for you to get in the way anymore. This would have been a lot easier if you had just died in the crash. Do you know how long it took us to get that to work?" She said eying the machine that was the only way of getting air into my body.

"Of course you don't. None of you know anything."

"I know who you are Jackie. And I know where the rest of you are."

"Pity that you won't be able to tell Aria. Let's hope, that for my sake, you can't hold your breathe long." And with that she turned the power off in my room. Unhooking the oxygen.

"See you in hell." Everything went blurry.

"I'm sorry Aria. I love you." A single tear rolled down my cheek. Then the blackness swallowed me. Taking all of my senses away.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

The first thing that I noticed when I got back to Ezra's room was that the door was slightly ajar. Not enough for many people to notice but I had been staring at that exact door for the last 3 hours. Everyone else had left so I went to get us both a coffee. I could have sworn that something wasn't feeling right. That's when I heard it. It was only faint but it was definitely there. A whisper. Coming straight from his room.

"Ezra. Are you alright?" I felt weirdly calm walking through the door. With the events from the past months still so fresh in my mind, I would have bet millions that this would be the most awkward thing that I have EVER done in my life. I jumped. I don't know what shocked me the most. If it was the amount of machines and wires coming out of his body or if it was his body lying still on the bed. Too still. Way too still. That's when I noticed something strange. None of the machines were on. Why would someone put this many machines in a room if they weren't going to be used? For decoration?

"Ezra." I shook him.

"Ezra. Please open your eyes." By now I had realised that I had not once seen his chest move. Not since I had entered the room. Not since I had taken my eyes off of the room.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! HE'S NOT BREATHING! SOMETHING'S WRONG. SOMEONE! HELP!" It was only then that I noticed the black figure watching from the shadows.

 **Ezra's P.O.V**

I don't know how long I was out. I don't remember anything that happened before. Apart from pain. Hope and heartbreak. Guilt. I don't even know if I am still alive. I could hear voices. A voice. Her voice. My eyes flung open. And there she was. She looked like an angel. No. She was an angel.

"Hi sleepy head." Her voice rang out like a million fairies laughing.

"W" I tried to talk before she shushed me to be quiet.

"Shushhhhhhhhhhh. Don't work so hard." She turned away then walked to the window and sat on the sill. I was in a different room. This one was bigger. Wider.

"Listen Ezra. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I had heard you out then you wouldn't be in this mess. I'm so so so so SO sorry." Her voice shook. I could tell that she was nearly crying.

"It wasn't your fault. It was A's. You didn't know what was going to happen. No. It wasn't A's fault. It was mine. I never should have written that book. I'm sorry Aria." I could tell she was crying. I looked to make sure that the door was closed. When I looked back Aria was sat on the bottom of my bed.

"I love you Ezra." I knew that she meant it. And when I said it back, I did too.

"Don't ever leave me again Ezra." She leant in and kissed me. It tasted of coffee and biscuits. She smelt of ginger. For the seconds that she was there, I didn't worry. Then she pulled away and the memories of the past couple of years flooded through my mind.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

I don't know how I could have ever hated Ezra when I saw his face when he woke up looking at me. The way that his face lit up when he realized that it was me sitting there. That it was me holding his hand. That it was Aria Montgomery waiting. Not anyone else but me. I felt bad that I had ever thought that he would do anything to hurt me.

I texted the girls after feeling a little guilty. I had promised Spencer that I would go round to her house with the girls after school. Thankfully, they understood. I didn't know how I felt completely. Was there even a name for this feeling? I knew that I should be happy but knowing that A had got to him before me. That A had tried to kill Ezra twice. That gave me a new kind of nightmare.

Ezra woke with a start.

"What's happening?" His voice was still heavy with sleep and his eyes were still half closed. It had been two and a half weeks since A had tried to kill him for the second time. I had visited him every single day. After school, during lunch breaks, weekends, and today I got the best news ever.

"YOU'RE GOING HOME!" I yelled as Hannah and Emily shouted it at the same time. Spencer was at his house preparing everything for when he got back.

"I. I'm going home." I whispered.

"I'M GOING HOME!" I helped sitting up and giving Aria a quick hug. Followed by a quick kiss.

"What time is it?" I asked. The sun wasn't even out yet.

"Half six in the morning." Emily answered.

"What are you girls doing here? Um…. How much do you know?"

"Everything." Answered Hannah giving me that look that she sometimes does. I was glad that Spencer wasn't here as the look that she gives can give a grown man nightmares.

"We also know that the reason that this has happened to you is partially our fault. So we are helping you to get everything ready so you can go home sooner." Emily said calmly.

"I still think that we should have thrown a party. Invited the whole town." Hannah huffed.

"Hannah." Aria glared.

"What?"

"Just shush." She looked at me.

"We should probably let you rest."

"You don't have to leave. Not yet." I pleaded,

"We'll be just knock if you nrrc us or anything." She leant down and kissed me again before leaving. Hanging around the door for a couple of extra seconds.


	7. Chapter 6

**Hi guys. Sorry that I haven't posted on this story in a while but I just want to warn you that I will be saying who the actual big A is in this chapter so I'm sorry if you're not up to that bit yet.**

 **Chapter 6**

 **5 Years Later.**

 **Aria's P.O.V**

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the best day off all of our lives. The 5th anniversary of the day that we finally unmasked A. Who would've known that Jackie and Cece would have worked together to do something like this. No-one knows what happened to Jackie. She was found slaughtered outside her apartment in Manhattan. We all think that Cece did it. After all, Jackie was the one who gave Ezra all of the information about them. The police don't think that though. Apparently Cece was on her way to a high security psychiatric hospital at the time of the murder but we all know how reliable the police are.

We all made it a tradition. Every year we all get together and cook our own meal. It's a way of saying how sorry we are to the families that lost their children and a way to thank the lord that we are all still alive. And together. 2 years ago Emily and Alison got married and adopted a little African boy called Charlie. Toby and Spencer are engaged and Hannah and Caleb have been married for almost 4 years now. They have two children. Twins. Susane and Liam. As for me and Ezra, we got married last fall and have three kids of our own. 2 boys, Harry and Josh, and Laya. Our youngest. Harry and Josh were born before we got married. Harry is five years old and Josh is 4. Laya is only 10 months and she already looks and acts like us. She has my eyes and mouth and Ezra's ears and nose.

Toby still worked for the police but he now owned his own department just outside of Georgia and Spencer works as the deputy head at some posh University in Europe. Emily is on the American swimming olympic team and Ally and Hannah own a fashion business together. I mean a really big one. Caleb works for the government as some sort of hacker and no-one would have thought this but guess who his boss is? Lucas! None of us could stop laughing when Caleb found out. Ezra and I opened our own primary school on the coast of Georgia. It's not the best of jobs but we both love kids and we have always wanted to teach.

I always made the pie for these meals. Spence made the salads, Hannah brought the drinks, Em made the main and the boys and Ali made the starters. It was always the same pattern. It was starting to crack now though. With all of the children wanting to get involved. That made it better though. More realistic. I try to always live every day to the full as a part of me still remembers when I thought that I was never going to be happy ever again. That I would never have a family.

 **Ezra's P.O.V**

Aria had taken over the kitchen and had left me with the kids. I find it weird at how much time and effort that she puts into making this meal perfect. Sometimes I wish that she spent more time with her family but then I realize how lucky am to have her. To call her my wife. The mother of my kids.

The sacred meal was taking place tomorrow. I had to tell her before then. I mean, how much longer would it take before she realized what was happening to me? I wa shocked that she hadn't already guessed. How long could someone be terminally ill without it showing?

"Aria?" I whispered through sleepy eyes.

"What time is it?" She was running around our cozy bedroom like a chicken without a head. Clothes were all over the floor.

"We're late. We both slept through the alarm. We only have an hour until we need to be at Hannah's"

"That's plenty of time." I said as she shoved a bunch of clothes in my face and shooed me away to get ready.

"We still have to drop Laya at my dad's, Harry at Dillon's and Josh at your dad's. On top of that, we need to drive to school and drop off some papers for Monday." When she finished speaking, I felt the room start to spin and I had to stumble to stop me from falling. Luckily she was too busy to notice. Okay, so maybe we did have to rush. It took us 25 minutes to get everything ready and leave the house. Josh didn't want to leave and Laya just wouldn't stop crying.

By the time that we arrived at Hannah's, we were 10 minutes late. Ali and Em arrived 2 minutes after us which made Aria a lot calmer. She hated being the latest. She always had to be on time. Never early, never late.

 **Toby's P.O.V**

I had a feeling that I liked inside my stomach that I liked when we pulled up to Caleb's front yard. Call it a cop thing but I could tell that this year we were all getting drunk. Hannah said that the reason that we our having the dinner at hers is because of family issues but we all know that it is about last year. If she broke anything this time round, at least she won't owe anyone any money.

" _Wow. Sslow down on the drinkss Hannah. One of you two have to drive back in like 2 hourss." Aria slightly slurred._

" _Never. In a miwion yearzzzzz. YOU WILL NEVER SSSTOP MEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She yelled. Throwing her drink up in the air. She was already on her 5th scotch on the rocks and had already had 2 martinis and a gin and tonic. When she stood up she ended up spilling it all over Spencer's new designer, white rug. Cashmere. Everyone was drunk. Some more then others. Hannah climbed up onto the table and started dancing. Standing in all the food. Everyone was wooing. Cheering her on. She stuck her hand out to Ezra. Calling him up to dance with her. By the end of her dance, everyone but Ali was up on the table dancing. That was until it snapped straight down the middle. Hannah was out cold for 5 minutes and when she woke up she had a fake mustache drawn on in permanent marker. A unibrow and a goatee. She owed Spencer and Toby £5000 by the end of the night._

"Caleb! How are things going?" Spencer had already disappeared with Hannah. The girls always seemed to do that. Like they were 5 again.

"Everythings great. I got promoted last week." He said grinning.

"Great. How's everything with Hannah? You two still going strong?"

"What is this? An interrogation. It's vacation Toby! LET LOOSE! No more cop questions." He patted me on the back and gestured for me to come inside. Their house looked bigger. More feminine.

"New decor?"

"Surprised you noticed. Hannah got a bunch of leftovers from last season. You don't think it's too much?" He said looking nervous.

"No I don't think it's too much. I know so." I joked. He lightly punched me as we walked into the kitchen. We were the first there.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

I was glad that we dropped the kids off and didn't take them with us. I didn't want to say something too embarrassing. It was only 10 minutes into the meal and I was already tipsy. A good thing that Hannah was letting us stay for tonight.

"Can someone pass the sauce?" I asked.

"I don't get how you are so skinny. Do you know how many calories are in just one teaspoon of that?" Hannah asked picking up the sauce. I must have looked at her blankly as she handed me the sauce as she answered.

"A lot." Then me and Caleb got into a fight over who would make a better cop. We ended up sneaking up behind the others and telling them to put their hands behind their heads. It was hilarious. Until my feet started to kill. Wearing 5 inch heels was not a good option. Me and Ezra then started to try to spill food on each other without the other one knowing. We stopped when we noticed the glares that Hannah was giving us. Emily ended up dancing around the room with Toby. I was pretty sure that it would turn into last year. That as fun. Well, the splitting headache the next day wasn't. Especially when I had to go into work and yell at a bunch of 10 year olds.

My pie disappeared very quickly but most of it ended up in Liam's tummy. Turns out that batting practise wasn't on. It never was. He wanted to see what we all looked like drunk. I think he even got scared when Ali started to hit on him. I don't know which face was worse. His or Em's. I was having more fun than I had ever had. Apart from my wedding. That was before I sore him fall. When he didn't open his eyes. When I noticed that he had had barely one cup of red wine. I should have noticed how much older he looked. How he had hardly touched a bottle since last year. How my Ezra was ill.

 **Thank you all for being so patient and I'm kind of getting stuck for ideas so if anyone has any please let me know.**


	8. Chapter 7

**I hope that you guys like this chapter as I worked hard on it. Please review!**

 **Chapter 7**

 **Aria's P.O.V**

I didn't want to go to the hospital. I hadn't been in one since I had had Laya and I wanted to always remember that memory when I thought of one. I couldn't leave him. I couldn't let him go their all on his own. By the time that the paramedics arrived, his heart had slowed right down. Not even Toby or Spenc knew what to do. I was a wreck. It was worse then when he was shot. I felt worse than I ever had.

The doctors in the ambulance had no idea why this had happened. They ruled out drugs and alcohol straight away. I could barely see through all the tears in my eyes. The others all had to take taxies to get to the hospital as we were all under the influence. It seemed to take forever to get to the hospital. Why do Hannah and Caleb have to live in the middle of a forest in the middle of nowhere? I could only think of one thing for the whole journey. 'Why me? Why him? Why do we deserve this? Why does he deserve this?'

He was rushed into theater as soon as we arrived. I didn't even get enough time to say goodbye to him properly. To say that it would be alright. To hold his hand and tell him that I love him.

"Ohmygod Aria. Do you know what happened?" It was Alison. I shook my head as I heard the others running up the corridor.

"He will be alright, right?" I asked everyone. I was scared of the answer. Scared that I wasn't going to remember this in the morning. We all sat down in the waiting room. I'd had about 3 coffees so I felt a lot more sober now.

"Can someone just faint like that? Spenc? Is that possible?" I said looking in her direction.

"No. Well it shouldn't be. Unless um… No. It's not possible."

"Unless what? Spencer what aren't you telling me?" I said raising my voice. Clearly getting more agitated.

"You know that I told you that my grams just fainted one day? She was, um, suffering from, um, cancer." She looked down at her shoes not wanting to see my face.

"That's not possible. He would have told me. He would have…" I couldn't finish my sentence. I burst out sobbing. I could only just hear the receptionist call out 'Aria Fitz? Is there an Aria Fitz here?' Spencer walked me up to the counter.

 **Spencer's P.O.V**

We were waiting for Aria to come back for over 6 hours. The clock had struck 1 AM what seemed like forever ago. We were all just as worried as she was. She didn't need this. Not after she was finally starting to live the life that she wanted. Needed. None of us did.

"What do you think is happening in there?" Hannah asked shoving a cheese puff into her mouth.

"This is a good sign right? If he was d, um, ill then she would be back by now." Emily whispered to Ali just loud enough for us all to hear. That's when Aria walked out into the main reception. I rushed over to her. As fast as my feet could carry me.

"What's the matter? Is he alright?" I asked trying to get her to look into my eyes. We were all stood around her. Like she was going to bolt any second. She stood still shaking for a few seconds. Then she looked up into my eyes and said.

"He's gone. He's really gone." Then she burst out into tears. just like the rest of us.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

It had been a week since I became a widow. A week since when my children lost their father. A week since we all lost a friend. School wasn't the same without him teaching. The pupils missed him and so did the staff. I decided that the funeral is going to be in 1 week from now. It's funny. How everything happens in weeks. Never months. Days or years.

I hadn't eaten much since the meal. Food reminded me of that night. What once used to be the greatest day of the year, within a blink of an eye, became the worst. Every day I have had visitors. My dad, Wes, Spencer, Emily and Ali, Toby, Caleb, Hannah, Mrs Fitzgerald even showed up. The kids are probably the most sane out of all of us. i don't know if I should be thinking this but I almost feel jealous of Laya. She will never remember. Every year she won't have to go through this grieff.

 **Emily's P.O.V**

It was clear to anyone that Aria wasn't herself. Who could blame her? Who could sit down with her and shout at her for dealing with something like this? She needed space. It wasn't the same without him. Ezra was the part of our group that held us all together. He was our cement in between two bricks. He was our friend. And when he died, it was like a part in Aria died to.

"Do you guys have any idea of what you're going to say at the um, next week?" Hannah stuttered like it was poison to say the word.

"I stayed up all of last night planning it out." Spencer said pulling out a large, folded piece of paper.

"I want to make sure that it all goes perfectly. Do you think that this sounds all right? 'He wasn't just our friend. He was a shoulder for us to cry on. For anyone to cry on and he would listen. always.' What do you think?" She asked looking at us with hope in her yes.

"I think that you're too excited about this." Ali blurted out and then carried on eating her bag of chips.

"I think it was great Spence. Aria will love it." Toby said sitting down at the table.

"I have a new stock of dresses coming in soon. I can try to see if I can 'borrow' a couple in black if you would like." Hannah said looking at all of us. Ali looked like she was going to kill her.

"They're Marc Jacobs' designs so they're not out in stores yet."

"If you don't mind." I answered.

"Great. Cya tomorrow." Hannah waved as she got up and left.

 **Aria's P.O.V**

I got up at 5 AM and got straight into the shower. It felt good on my back and seemed like a good way to start such a bad day. I them pulled on the black silk dress that Hannah had had posted to me. It was a partially see thru dress at the top which went down in layers and ended just above my knee. I slipped on 4 inch black open toe heels with a bow going across the toes. I pinned my hair back into a neat bun and applied a thin coat of lipgloss. I grabbed my purse and headed out of the door.

I was the first person to arrive at the church. The funeral was taking place back at the church in Rosewood as many of Ezra's old pupils and co-workers still lived there. It was also the first place that I ever met Ezra. Our first kiss happened just down the road. Just thinking about that day brought a tear to my eyes.

"Aria! Wait up!" It was Andrew. He looked exactly the same. A bit stronger maybe?

"I am so sorry about ezra. Should I call him that? Or should I just call him Mr. Fitz?"  
"I don't mind and um thank you. We should probably, well **I** should get going to the church. I want to be there when everyone arrives." I said walking away but Andrew followed.

"Ezra was a friend. A teacher, a son, a brother, a husband and a dad. He was a loyal one at that. We all have different memories of him. For some of us it is his face as he handed out your graded test papers. For others it was of a hand to hold. A hand to pull you out of all of those dark places. He never put himself first. I came up here today with only one thing in my mind. And that was that. That I'm sorry Ezra." The tears started to roll down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry that we never went on that skiing trip around the world. That your book was never published. That you never got to go to Harry's first football match or Josh's first play. That you will never hear Laya say her first word." I could barely get my last sentence out through all of my tears.

"I love you Ezra. You were my other half. You may not be able to hold my hand anymore but you will always be here in my heart. In the hearts of everyone here today. You will never be forgotten." With that I took my seat next to Wes and Spencer in the audience. When I sat down, my phone buzzed. It must have been my dad. He couldn't make it here today because of work. The text read 'Loneliness is a killer isn't it? Touching speech. I almost believed what you said. You thought I was gone but you have never been more wrong. I'm back and this time, I know all of your secrets. Even the ones which haven't even happened yet.

Did you miss me? -A'


End file.
